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2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

(No Model.)

H. M. REIGHENBAGH. MANUPAGTURL 0F FLEXIBLE PHOTOGRAPHIC FILMS. No. 417,202.

Patented Dec. 101889.

Snom/Lm @13 1114/ fltbofmego/ N. PEYEHS. Photo-Lilkogmpher. Wnlhillgwn. D. C.

2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

(No Model.)

H. M. REIGI-IEBUSACH,4 MANUFAGTURB OP FLEXIBLE PHOTOGRAPHIG FILMS.

Patented Deo. 10,1889.A

N. PETERS, Phnln-bihoyzpher. M'axhingwn. DJC.

ilNTED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HENRY M. REIOHENBACH, OE ROCHESTER, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO THE EASTMAN DRY PLATE AND FILM COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

MANUFACTURE OF FLEXIBLE PHOTOGRAPHIC FILMS.'

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 417,202, dated December 10, 1889.

Application filed April 9,1889. Serial No. 306,575. (No model.)

To @ZZ whom it may concer/b:

Be it known that I, HENRY M. RnicHEN- BACH, a citizen of the United States, residing at Rochester, county of Monroe, and State of New York, have inv-ented certain new and useful Improvements in the Manufacture of Flexible Photographic Films, fully described and represented in the following speci tication and the accompanying drawings, forming a part of the same.

This invention. relates 'to improvements upon or pertaining to the manufacture of iiexible photographic films; and it consists in the improvements hereinafter fully described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a side elevation of the devices for depositing and spreading the fluid solution and emulsion hereinafter described. Fig. 2 is a planV view of the same. Fig. 3 is a section of the same on the line 3 of Eig. l. Fig. et is a side elevation of the said devices and the means for moving the same.l Fig. 5 is an end view of the same. Fig. 7 is a longitudinal vertical section of a casing with a conduit leading therefrom; and Fig. 6 a transverse section of Fig. 7.

Similar letter-sof reference in the several figures indicate the same parts.

Prior to my improvements in the prepara tion and manufacture of films of a fluid solution of nitrocellulose and camphor to form the support or backing for a sensitive ilm :for photographic purposes the nitro-eellu lose and camphor were dissolved to form a clear fluid solution in a suitable solvent, and the solution Was spread in an even coating upon a rigid supporting-surface, such as plateglass. The film thus formed, which I shall -term the f1lm-support,77 "as permitted to dry or harden, after which a layer or film of gelatinoergentic emulsion was applied to the surface of the nlm-support, and after having been driedwthe two forming what `I shall term a photographic iilm MWas stripped from the glass and was ready for use in ordinary roll-holders, such as the EastmanlVa-lker roll-holder, and for negativednaking.

In using a solution of nitro-cellulose and 5ocamphor in methyl-alcohol on a large scale,

-in the endeavor to produce large film-supports to support and sustain the sensitized film, it Was found that in drying such film its exposed surface was liable to become pitted or covered more or less with small depressions, and was otherwise objectionable. In seeking for a remedy I have discovered that if a small quantity of fusel-oil is added to the solution before spreading upon the glass or other rigid supporting-surface the formation of ir- 6o regularities in the surface of the Ii1m-support during the drying process, and other objections, are almost entirely avoided, and upon further investigation and experiment I have ascertained that the resulting product could be still further improved by the addition of a small quantity of amylacetate.

Up to the present time the best results have been obtained with a solution prepared in about the following proportions: Dissolve 7o nine thousand grains of nitro-cellulose and five thousand four hundred grains of camphor in one hundred and twelve ounces of methyl-alcohol, and to the solution thus obtained add twenty-eight ounces of fusel-oil and seven ou nces of amyl-acetate. The nitrocellulose is dissolved in the methyl-alcohol and the gum-camphor added, the solution being made in a closed vessel which is subi jeeted to gentle heat and agitation to expe- So dite the action of the alcohol. After this sclution is made the fuseloil and amyl-acetate are then added thereto.

To remove all uneonverted or imperfectlydissolved substances and to clarify the solu- S 5 tion, I prefer to filter it through :fine cotton cloth. Apparently the fusel-oil operates to retain the camphor in solution during evaporation of the volatile constituents and to retard and render more uniform. the evapora- 9o tion of the liquid solvent, so that the filmsuppo1't,\vl1en dried, will preserve the smooth and even surface produced when the fluid solution is first deposited and spread upon the rigid supportiiig-surface. The amyl-acetate appears to operate in the solution to assist the fusel-oil in preserving the evenness of the surface of the nlm-support,preventing the formation of pits or small depressions thereon during the drying of the same.

Having prepared a iiuid solution of nitrocellulose and camphor in methyl-alcohol and IDO added a proper quantity of fusel-oil, and, when necessary or desired, amyl-acetate, the next operation is to spread the solution upon a rigid su pportin g-surface in a thin layer or film, care being taken to secure contact with such surface and prevent the formation of bubbles between it and the solution, after which the film, while still on such surface, is dried, thereby forming a flexible photographically-structureless film-support, which adheres firmly to the rigid supporting-surface.

If the fluid solution is applied directly to the perfectly clean surface of a glass plate, then dried while still upon such surface, then coated with gelatine-argentic emulsion and again dried, the photographic film will, when dried, be found to adhere so firmly to said rigid supporting-surface that it can be reremoved only by the application of considerable force, sometimes resulting in the tearing of the photographie film, or stretching it unequally, so that it will buckle and be unfitted for use in roll holders and for negativemaking.

To facilitate the subsequent removal or stripping` of the completed photographic film, I rub or coat the surface of the glass or other rigid v supporting-surface with avery weak solution of mineral wax in benzine or other suitable solvent, or a weak solution of beeswax, or with any other equivalent agent to produce the same result, before spreading the fluid solution upon said rigid supporting-surface. This preliminary coating should be of a character to weaken without preventing the adhesion of the film-support to the glass surface, as it is very desirable that this filmsupport when dried should adhere throughout its whole under surface to the rigid supporting-surface during the application thereto and drying of the gelatino-argentic emulsion film and until the photographic film is ready for removal and use. IIeretofore the fiuid gelatino-argentic emulsion has been spread upon the surface of the filmsupport ina thin layer vor film; but experience has shown that when this is done it will not adhere to all points, but will be detached or separated in spot-s, forming blisters in the photographic film. This I have ascertained is due, in part at least, to the greasy character of the surface of the film-support, to remove which I first wash such surface, preferably with clear water, to which has been added two or three per cent. of a binding agent-such as silicate of potash or silicate of soda-then dry the same, and then spread `the layer or film of gelatine-argentic emulsion evenly upon the washed surface, whereby it is caused to stick and adhere. The next step is the drying of' the film of gelatineargentic emulsion, after which the film is stripped from the rigid supporting-surface, preferably by detaching one end and applying it to a winding device.

The depositing and spreading of the fluid solution is best accomplished by mechanical devices illustrated in the drawings, wherein A designates a rigid supporting-surface, preferably composed of polished plate glass, mounted in a suitable frame with the upper surface of the glass level. Extending transversely across and above the surface A is a carriage B, which is mounted upon guides or upon the opposite edges of the surface A, and is caused to traverse longitudinally of said surface by means of suitable driving mech'-y anism, such as chains or belts b. The carriage B is provided with ahopper C, carrying the fluid solution, and also with an adjustable gate or valve D, for controlling the flow of the solution, and with an adj ustablespreading-blade E in the rear of the opening, through which the solution is deposited upon the surface. The edge of this blade E should be adjusted and held at all times parallel with thevsurface A over which it travels, in order that the solution may be spread in a film of substantially uniform thickness. In operating with this mechanism the fiuid solution is placed in the hopper C and the discharge therefrom regulated and proportioned by the adjustable gate or valve D, and the carriage is moved at a regular speed by the chains or belts b over the surface A, the adjustable scraper-blade E spreading the solution discharged from the hopper in a film of substantially uniform thickness upon the surface A. The layer of solution having thus been spread upon the surface A, the next step is to dry the same while it is attached to said supporting-surface. This can be accomplished in any convenient way which will enable the volatile constituents to pass off by evaporation from the exposed surface of the film-as, for example, by leaving the same exposed to the infiuence of the atmosphere, which may be artificially heated or not, as preferred.

The film of gelatino-argentic emulsion may be spread upon the film-support by the same mechanism that I havel just described for depositing and spreading the fluid solution upon the rigid supporting-surface.

After the film of gelatino-argentic emulsion has been dried the photographic film is stripped by means of a winding device, such as a roller mounted upon a carriage traversing longitudinally the rigid supporting-surface A, or in any other way.

I do not herein claim as my invention the process of making fiexible photographic films, which consists in fiowing liquid celluloid upon a plate or support, drying the same, then coat-ing with a photographically-sensitive material, and after drying said coating removing the film of celluloid and sensitive material thus formed from its original support. Nor do I claim herein that part of the invention described relating to the preparation of the plate, by waxing or otherwise, preliminary to the application of the nitrocellulose, the washing of the nitro-cellulose film preparatory to the application of IOO the gelatino-argentic emulsion, nor the employment of a binding solution or material such as described7 since these features are re served for and made the subj ect. of a divisional application filed by me November 1S, 1389. Serial No. 330,638.

Having thus described my invention, what l claim as new ism l. The hereinbe'forc -described improvement in the art of.' forming flexible film-supports which consists in adding insel-oil to a fluid solution of nitro-cellulose and eamph-or and subsequently depositing and spreading such solution upon a rigid supporting-surface and drying it. f

2. The hcreinbefore-described improvement in the art of forming flexible film-supports, which consists in combining methylalcohol, camphor, nitro-cellulose7 and fusel-oil to form a iiuid solution, and then depositing` and spreading the latter upon a 'supportingsurface and drying the same.

As an improvement in the art of producing flexible film-supports, the hereinbeforedescribed improved step in the process, which consists in forming the fluid solution of a mixture of methyl-alcohol, fusel-oil7 nitrocellulose, and camphor, to 'form a fluid solution for spreading 'in a thin film upon a support.

el. As an improvement in the art of producing flexible film-supports, the addition of aniyl-acetate to a fluid solution of nitro-cellulose and camplior in a liquid solvent and the subsequent depositing and spreading of said 'solution in a -filni upon a supportingsurface and drying the film upon the latter.

5. As an improvement in the art of producing flexible film-supports with smooth surfaces, the same consisting in adding fusel-oil and amyl-acetate to nitro-cellulose, camphor, and a fluid solvent, and subsequently spreading the fluid solution in a thin layer or film upon a supporting-surface and drying the said film preliminary to the application of a film of gelatino-argenticem ulsion.

In testimony whereof l have hereunto set my hand in the presence Vot` two subscribing witnesses.

.HENRY M.. REICIAIENBACII.

lVitnesses:

GEORGE EAsTMAN, FRED F. CHURCH. 

